Project management communication 2.0 — The socio-technical design of PM for professional communicators

Abstract

How can we understand project management communication practices for developing effective practices in professional and technical communication? In this article we explore an approach to project management that focuses on projects as having a technical documentation structure with content that is developed through social or interpersonal communication practices. Looking at the broader picture of project management which, besides the implementation phase, also includes conception, planning and closure, we see a project management framework that brings together both technical and social aspects of project communication. To understand how this works, we interviewed project managers about their understanding and strategy in communicating about the projects they lead. Findings demonstrate that more experienced project managers have a more nuanced understanding of project communication as both technical and social in nature. This correlation of experience to rhetorical understanding based on interpersonal communication invites the question of whether technical communication as a field is actually preparing students not only to participate in projects as technical and professional communicators, but also to have a head start on the path to becoming an effective project manager.